About Switzerland

Switzerland is a beautiful and magical country. It offers stunning landscapes and picturesque natural scenes, a fascinating history, and a unique culture. The country provides a delightful environment to explore during the program.

Traditional Swiss Music at Welcome Reception, 2015

It is easy to reach many great places from our location, and we hope you will be able to see some of the countryside, mountains, small Swiss villages or sophisticated cities, whatever interests you. However, the Sandplay in Switzerland program is intensive and offers lectures, workshops, and activities almost every morning, afternoon, and evening. We recommend making plans to travel before or after the program to explore what Switzerland offers. We also highly recommend the Pre-Conference Workshop for the opportunity to see the highlights of Zurich and the surrounding area before the training begins.

Weather

The weather changes dramatically at this time of year in Switzerland. Some days can be very hot, with temperatures into the high 90s. It can be humid as well. Other days are likely to be rainy and cool, with temperatures dropping into the 60s. We recommend packing for both warm and rainy weather. Dressing in layers is a good solution.

What to Bring

Storm clouds over Lake of Zurich

Bring a travel umbrella and light-weight rain gear. Comfortable walking shoes are essential. A travel alarm clock is useful. You may want a day-pack to carry your gear, along with notebooks.

Try to pack light and make sure you can lift and carry your packed bags. Casual, comfortable clothes are perfect at the conference center. When you are out and about you might want clothing more suitable to a big, cosmopolitan city like Zurich. And, since we are fairly near the lake, if you like to swim, bring a swim suit. Bring a light jacket if you plan to visit the mountains.

Laundry facilities are available at the conference center, but they are limited and the demand is high. We recommend bringing clothes you can wash and hang to dry in your room. If you have trouble sleeping, bring ear plugs. If you plan to use electrical appliances, you will need a converter for the electrical outlets. You can get these and many other handy travel items in a luggage or travel store.

We also recommend the various travel books available on Switzerland: Fodor’s, Eye Witness Travel Guides, Frommer’s, etc. They all contain interesting information about the country and culture including history, maps, recommended hotels and restaurants, museums, and places of interest.

Lakeside Chapel

Money and Finances

You can find anything you need in Switzerland, but it is more expensive there. We recommend bringing everything with you that you need. The exchange rate between the US dollar and the Swiss franc is not advantageous for Americans. (Switzerland is not part of the European Union and uses their own currency, the Swiss franc (CHF), although most places also accept the Euro.) The exchange rate now between the US dollar and Swiss franc is approximately 1.1 (1 CHF = 1.1 USD). You can check the ever-fluctuating rate on various online sites. A good one is the Universal Currency Converter.

All your living expenses during the course are covered in your fee, but you may want some Swiss currency for incidentals, exploring in the nearby village, etc. It is easy to change your currency into Swiss francs at the Zurich airport or in Einsiedeln at train stations or banks. Bankcards and credit cards are widely accepted, and most people find this the easiest option for paying. Most credit card companies charge a conversion fee for transactions in foreign currency. You may want to check these rates as they vary depending on type of credit card. In spite of this, paying with plastic is easy and convenient.

Swiss mountain art in nature

Traditional Swiss Alphorns at Farewell Dinner, 2011

Welcome Dinner 2013

“A large group of the present teaching members as well as individual members of the International Society for Sandplay Therapy (ISST) have been satisfied graduates of Sandplay in Switzerland. This is one of the best recommendations for the efficacy and value of this program.”